>> 23 May 2004

THE BRAHIMI NIGHTMARE...

My consistent support for the US in it's quest to turn Iraq into a democratic beacon in the corrupt Middle East is undermined when I read this sort of story on MSNBC. It's not just that leftist media channels offer slavish praise on Brahimi - more on him in a moment - but it's this sort of comment from Colin Powell (who else?) that sets all the alarm bells ringing.

According to Colin Powell, Brahimi is making steady progress choosing the people who will serve in the new government. (So, the UN will be running the show by proxy) The diplomat has been working closely with Iraqis and with Robert Blackwill, an aide to national security adviser Condoleezza Rice, to come up with acceptable names. Powell said Thursday that once Brahimi brings forward his slate of officers, the Bush administration will take it to the Security Council and Annan, “for all of us to take a look at and examine the quality of these individuals.”

So who is this great man Brahimi on which the very future of Iraq rests? Well, the ever excellent David Warren has him well sussed. Here is a brief excerpt;

"As the envoy of the Arab League in October 1989, he conned the Lebanese Christian prime minister, Michel Aoun, into accepting the "temporary" Syrian occupation of his country. Mr. Brahimi was the author of the Taif Agreement, which then permanently legitimated this occupation of Lebanon, by a Syrian Ba'athist regime which remains among the most murderously evil that exists.

As U.N. envoy to Afghanistan in 1997-99, Mr. Brahimi allowed his "peace brokering" between Taliban and Northern Alliance to be used as a front for the Taliban and Al Qaeda to launch a successful surprise military thrust into Northern Alliance territory."

Get the picture? No - try this?

"There is no doubt that the great poison in the region is the Israeli policy of domination and the suffering imposed on the Palestinians, as well as the perception by the body of the population in the region, and beyond, of the injustice of this policy and the equally unjust support of the United States for this policy."

By allowing US State and Colin Powell in particular to prostrate US policy to people like Brahimi - the Bush doctrine will go swiftly to hell in a basket.